Skating Into Friday

WATCH OF THE WEEK

Need outfit inspo for Coachella weekend two? Look no further than Vogue Japan’s impeccably-styled video editorial starring Ko Hyojoo, the Japanese travel vlogger slash skateboarder taking Instagram by storm. Directed by Lacey Studio and set to your new favorite jam “Could” by electronica artist Elderbrook, the video adopts Hyjoo’s signature video style and adds a Vogue twist, following the skater as she shows off her impressive skills and equally impeccable style. With its perfect high fashion summer vibes, this video has us ready for rising temperatures.

MARKETING BUZZ

The jury is still out on Burger King’s 15-second “Connected Whopper” ad, which is making the rounds lately for hacking Google Homes across the nation. Initially airing last week, the spot claimed there wasn’t time to explain all the fresh ingredients in the Whopper sandwich on the air, so it ended by asking, “Okay Google, what is a Whopper Burger?” prompting viewers’ devices to recite the first paragraph of the item’s entry on Wikipedia. While some hailed the move as clever, others viewed it as an intrusion. (Playing Switzerland, Google denied any involvement and deactivated the response shortly after.) The unique hijacking ploy has created an interesting conversation about utilizing virtual assistant devices as an advertising proxy.

OUR OBSESSION

Forget aerial and playlist yoga; there’s a new water-based namaste craze just in time for summer courtesy of Manhattan’s trendy Tmpl gym. Dubbed “Holy Water,” the class is making waves (pun intended) for utilizing AquaBase boards, the world’s first floating yoga mats, and has become so popular the gym has had to modify its sign-up process. Led by instructor Joana Meneses, class participants strive to ensure proper yoga form while also maintaining balance on the thin boards. However, falling in the heated saltwater pool is part of the fun and one portion of the class even encourages it, challenging participants to knock one another off and see who has what it takes to walk on water.

IN OUR CARTS

Interior Designer and furniture dealer Michael Bargo lives in a small Brooklyn apartment filled with one-of-a-kind whimsical design pieces: a leopard-print sofa, a Millennial pink paper-mache chair, and a coffee table made from corporate ceiling tiles, to name a few. But it’s not just an apartment—Bargo’s space symbolizes a new wave of brick and mortar shopping, as his home also serves as a curated retail environment in which virtually everything is available for purchase. The cozy shoppable space boasts clientele such as Marc Jacobs and offers a distinct experience from the typical retail model. We’ve mentioned the rise of lifestyle consumer spaces (take West Elm’s new hotels, for example) in previous trend reports and are excited to see this concept reaching even more tailored audiences.

APP-TASTIC

The geniuses over at MIT labs are looking to optimize our time like never before by taking idle moments and turning them into second language learning opportunities. Pioneering a new form of entertainment, Wait Learning, MIT’s first offering of a planned suite of apps is WaitChatter a Gchat plug-in that quizzes users on French or Spanish vocabulary while they wait for a response to their chat or an email to come through. The brainchild of PhD candidate Carrie Cai, the concept of wait learning makes the best of our screen addictions by taking the micro-moments users often spend refreshing their Instagram feed or checking their friend’s Snapchat stories and turning them into productive skill-learning sessions.

PROPS TO

While other pop culture publications tend to feature lists of the most beautiful, rich, and powerful, Essence magazine is challenging who we choose to celebrate in popular culture with their inaugural “Woke 100” List. In their May issue, which hit stands earlier this week, the magazine recognizes 100 woke women for their work in furthering equal rights, from stars like Zendaya Coleman to household names like Shonda Rhimes to activists such as Women’s March co-chairs Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, and Carmen Perez. In addition, the issue’s 12 cover stars share how they are fighting for human rights and showing what it means to be “woke.” Check out the full list at Essence.com to see the full list of future-forward role models influencing 2017 and beyond.

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